About Us

The City’s digital inclusion initiatives focus on the technology needs of the most underserved neighborhoods and communities including seniors, disabled, low-income and limited-English speaking populations.
Access to information technology is increasingly necessary to obtain employment, education opportunities, health information and city services. Yet an estimated 12% of San Francisco households do not access the Internet at home, according to the 2013 City Survey. The lack of technology access is especially acute in certain neighborhoods and populations.
The Department of Technology (DT) and its predecessor Department of Telecommunications and Telecommunications (DTIS) have sought to coordinate the effort amongst City agencies and public and private partners.
Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP), Sustainable Broadband Adoption (SBA) Grant has enabled the City to launch an ambitious digital inclusion program. The program has focused on youth technology, digital media, digital literacy for seniors and adults with disabilities and on-line business formation training.

BTOP Accomplishments

Under the BTOP Grant the Department of Technology’s digital media/youth technology program has:

In May of 2006, the Mayor’s Office and DTIS convened the TechConnect Task Force consisting of fifteen community leaders representing community-based, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations and local businesses. Over six months of public meetings, the Task Force outlined the technology needs of the City's underserved communities and existing community resources. DTIS also met with community leaders and members of the public at community and neighborhood events, and held workshops to find out their needs and aspirations for the initiative.

DTIS integrated the Task Force's and community input into a citywide Digital Inclusion Strategy which was released in January 2007. Since then DTIS has worked with a number of City agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations to implement this strategy and develop the Digital Inclusion programs.